The Point Loma Debate team participated in its first full service debate and individual events tournament of the year this past Friday and Saturday at Azusa Pacific University. It was a large regional tournament of approximately 40 colleges and Universities from throughout California, Nevada and Reno. Point Loma won Fourth Place in Debate Sweepstakes.

Both our Senior debate teams and both Junior teams plus one of our three Novice teams advanced to the elimination brackets based on strong preliminary round records. To have five of seven teams advancing to elimination rounds is a very strong showing for such a young group. Several of our individual events competitors also excelled. The specific results are shown below.

DEBATE RESULTS:

Senior Division:

Andrew Hoag and Griffith Vertican – Octafinalists

Jordan Cherry and Elly Garner – Octafinalists

Jordan Cherry – 4th Place Speaker

Andrew Hoag – 17th Speaker

Griffith Vertican – 18th Speaker

Junior Division:

Ashley Nuckels and Noelle Seybert – Semifinalists

Kevin Davis and April Griffith – Quarterfinalists

Ashley Nuckels – 8th Speaker

April Griffin – 9th Speaker

Novice Division:

Rachel Simonson and Justin Thompson

Both Rachel and Justin tied for First speaker with one other student, four tie breakers resulted in Rachel getting 2nd Speaker and Justin getting 3rd Speaker.

INDIVIDUAL EVENTS:

Andrew Hoag: Fifth Place Open Impromptu

April Griffin: Sixth Place Open Rhetorical Criticism, Semi Finalist Open Extemp

Chris Gutierrez: Novice Impromptu Semi Finalist

Griffith Vertican: First Place Open Persuasion, Second Place Informative

Kevin Davis: Semifinalist Open Impromptu

APU and Modesto College Debate Tournament

Following the APU Speech and Debate Tournament, most of the debate team returned to campus late Saturday night. On the following day though APU and Modesto College hosted an additional debate tournament and individual events tournament. Two of our debate teams competed in the debate tournament and two other students in the individual event tournament. Each walked away with two awards. Point Loma won Fourth Place Overall Sweepstakes in the four-year college division for Individual Events and Debate at the three tournaments held at APU.

In debate the senior team of Jordan Cherry and Andrew Hoag advanced to the first elimination round and won a bronze. They were also both recognized as top 20 speakers. The junior debate team of Kevin Davis and Ashley Nuckels won their Bronze round (Semi Finals), and advanced to the Silver Gold (Final) round, where they came in second, winning the Silver. Both Davis and Nuckels won top ten speaker honors.

In the individual event tournament Griffith Vertican won Second Place in Open Informative, and Second Place in Open Persuasion. Rachel Simonsen won Second Place in Novice Impromptu and was a finalist in Novice Extemp.

Griffith Vertican has now qualified his Informative for the National Championship Tournament to be held at University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida in the spring. By qualifying an event at large in just one week, he has set a school record. Many thanks to our coaches and alumni for all of the help they provided this past weekend.